Migrant children issue lands at Connecticut's door

Fausto Giovanny Pinto

Published 4:34 pm, Saturday, July 26, 2014

A conference call between the mayors of some of Connecticut's largest cities, including Bridgeport's Mayor Bill Finch, didn't resolve the issue on how they can help the flow of unaccompanied migrant children crossing the U.S. border.

But the mayors have agreed to help and are moving forward with a plan for aid.

"Today's call was another great step toward finding what, if anything, mayors in Connecticut can do on this front," said Finch in a press release. "The reality is that this problem has landed on the doorstep of American mayors. As an adoptee, the father of four kids, and CEO of a city with a strong immigrant population, I know how important it is to consider any and all options that would help these kids in need."

The result of the conference call Friday morning was the creation of a task force to address the problem of how the mayors can help the nearly 58,000 children, most of whom have fled violence and poverty in Central America.

The issue landed on the shoulders of the mayors after the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy denied a request to house the children at a state facility in Southbury, and later said they did not have any suitable places.

While 11 mayors took part in Friday's call, one -- who early on built his political career on trying to deport immigrants -- remained steadfastly opposed.

"The biggest problem here is that every time a state, a county, a city or a town accepts slack for the federal government, you allow the dysfunction to continue," said Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. "However, I recognize the kids are here. I don't think any mayor says, `Hey, I asked for this problem.' But any Danbury resident, any faith-based community that wants to help, I think that's great."

Following mounting pressure from protesters and advocates, Malloy has revisited the issue.

"I continue to work closely with the federal government on this important issue," Malloy said in a press release on Tuesday. "Today, I participated in a conference call with the White House and the secretaries of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services."

In the same release, he said the state was looking at another location in New Haven at the old site of Gateway Community College. But on Friday, he said the location might not meet the requirements of the federal government.

Both Finch and Malloy have said they are willing to help house the children as long as the federal government foots the bill.

"In Bridgeport, I want to help get these kids to a safer place," said Finch in a press release. "But in order for the Park City to even consider serving as a temporary home for any of these kids, we must have assurance that no city taxpayer dollars will be spent on it..."

The mayors of Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, and New Haven have all reached out to the International Institute of Connecticut, which works to provide services to youth transferred from the border to relatives, said Angela Anderson, executive director. The mayors are looking to find short term residential care for the children, she said.

At a press conference Friday, Malloy said continuing the reunification process is the best way.

"No one says institutional placement is the best way to do it," Malloy said. "I've been making sure our foster children are placed with families. Why would it do it any different with children coming to our state. I want to place them with families. There is more than enough proof this is a better way. The facility requested didn't meet the needs."

It seems that the issue of helping the children is shifting from temporary housing to helping with the need of services.

More than half of the estimated 58,000 unaccompanied migrant children in the country have been reunited with a family member or a relative between Jan. 1 and July 7, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The data shows 325 children have been reunited with family in Connecticut.

Jose Casco, executive director of the Latino Advocacy Foundation of Fairfield County, who is working with Finch as well as the mayors of Stamford and Norwalk, said he feels very positive about their willingness to help.

"We are looking for facilities now in Bridgeport," Casco said.

Casco, along with other advocates, will be meeting with the governor Aug. 5 to discuss ways the state can help.

"The children can't stay at the border where they are suffering in detention centers," Casco said. "They need better places."